Jealous Storm, Jack Stroke [best sci fi novels of all time .txt] 📗

you know.”

“I don’t know anything.”

“Vaughan.”

“Even if I did, what does it matter anyway? It’s Megan’s business.”

“That’s it? You’re not going to tell me?”

“Nothing to tell.”

Amber found herself on her feet.

“Where are you going?”

“There’s something going on. I would like you to be honest with me. Clearly you don’t want to —”

“That’s rich. You lecturing me about being honest.”

“— so I am removing myself from the situation. Good night.”

“Are you coming back? Amber?”

She ignored him, climbing off the boat.

“What happened to Chill Amber?”

“Oh, shut up.”

Amber attempted to make her walk as casual as possible, doing as much as she could to disguise the fact she was indeed leaving in a huff.

12

Ben sat in his room, attempting to really look at it. He was in this room every day of his life, yet how often did he actually see it? The space seemed small, as though he had outgrown it. As though he didn’t fit any more. It was the only bedroom he had ever known. He tried to think back to his old room when he was a little kid. He had a vague sense of the space more than any real memories. Would it be the same with this room one day? Hard to see how.

He stood and bowed to himself in the middle of the floor. The memories from the Diamond Logistics facility were fading fast too. Losing their freshness and becoming fuzzy and indistinct. An invisible opponent came at him. Ben dispatched him over his left shoulder. Was that right? He performed the move again, more slowly. Simone, the instructor, had said something about this. What was it?

The frustration rose steadily, both through not being able to remember the specifics and not having a proper opponent to practice on. The invisible opponent came at him again. This time Ben took evasive action, falling to the floor. It’s possible he fell with too much force. There was a knock at the door.

“Ben? Ben?” Joan said with unnecessary alarm. “Are you all right? I heard a crash. ”

The door flew open before he had a chance to stand.

“I’m fine, Joan.”

“What are you doing on the floor?”

“Just some exercise.”

It was challenging keeping the attitude out of his voice. Fortunately he heard the ads finish on the television.

“I think your show’s back on.”

Joan’s British detective program was nearing the big reveal, so she didn’t linger for a chart.

Alone once more, Ben attempted a less noisy manoeuvre. This wasn’t working. He felt like he was fourteen again, pretending to be a rock star with a tennis racket. How did Amber do it? That wasn’t a fair comparison. She had been an agent for years. They must teach you all this stuff at some point. Not simply how to fight but how to train, with or without an actual partner.

The shrill ring of his phone interrupted things. No caller ID. His heart leapt while his brain told him it was going to be nothing. Someone trying to sell him something or…

“Hello?”

“Ben?”

“Yes?”

“This is Tony with Diamond Logistics.”

“Yes, ummm, hello. Hi. I remember… remember you.”

It was like he had never used his mouth for talking before.

“Please hold for Mother.”

Ben paced in what little room he had, the phone pressed so hard against his ear it hurt. The wait was only a few minutes presumably. It could have been days, Ben suspended in the moment. Wanting, waiting, hoping.

Finally:

“Benjamin.”

“Oh, hi. How are you?”

“You may call us Mother.”

“Sorry?”

“You were hesitant to know how to address us when we came on the line. You may call us Mother.”

“Okay. Thank you… Mother.” It didn’t want to come out of his mouth.

“You have questions.”

“Yes, many.”

“We have no answers for you at this stage.”

“Oh… Okay.”

A long silence followed which Ben wasn’t sure if he was supposed to fill.

“How —”

“Where are you, Benjamin?”

“In my room.”

“The holiday cabins, Paradise Cove?”

“Yes. The owner’s cottage. You remember.”

“Yes.”

More silence.

“We need your help.”

“Oh, okay. Great. Yeah. Just… Yeah. Just tell me what you would like.”

“You’ve finished school now.”

“I have.”

“That’s good.”

More silence.

“Is this help a job or training or —”

“We said.”

“You did?”

“We have no answers for you at this stage.”

Her tone was perfectly flat. No hint of annoyance and yet a stinging rebuke all the same.

“It will be in the next few days. Please be ready.”

“I will. I —”

“Goodbye, Benjamin.”

Ben was back in his room, staring at the blank phone screen. It was all he could do not to explode through the ceiling.

13

It took Amber a good half an hour to find Lion. He wasn’t in any of his usual haunts. Eventually she located him under a tree, simply sitting, surveying all before him like a king looking out over his land.

Amber didn’t try and pick him up. She sat alongside and gave him a gentle part. He shifted his head slightly towards her with appreciation. Apart from that he didn’t move. The two of them enjoyed the cool night air together.

Megan exited the cottage, talking on her phone now. Talking and laughing. She put her hand over the receiver when she spotted Amber.

“What are you doing, Beetroot?”

“Just patting Lion.”

“You have a fight with Vaughan?” she asked. Her smile dug into Amber’s skin.

“No.”

Megan shuffled away to where she could chat without danger of being overheard. Ben appeared shortly after. He was on his way towards Amber’s cabin when he spotted her sitting on the grass.

“You okay?”

“Yep. Just patting Lion.”

“Did you and Vaughan…”

“Why does everyone think that? Aren’t I allowed to pat Lion? I pat Lion every day.”

Ben shrugged.

Was she really this predictable and transparent?

“Not a fight, but he was being… a pain.”

“Okay.”

Ben joined in patting duties. Lion was quite content having two people attend to him.

“Mother called,” Ben said eventually.

Amber glanced at him. “I’m impressed.”

“Why?”

“You appear quite calm and contained. You didn’t run from the house screaming and yelling or anything.”

He smiled.

“Okay, that’s good,” Amber said.

Was it, though? Maybe inevitable would have been a better description.

“When she says ‘we’…”

“She just meant her. Her as in Diamond Logistics.”

Ben nodded. “I know I ask too many questions…”

“That’s all right. Ask